Beginner Tips | For Photographers

You just got that fancy new camera (or you’re thinking about it) but you’re not sure where to start.
Maybe you have had your camera for a while now, and you’ve taken some nice images with depth, and now you want to get better.

Regardless of your reasoning, everyone starts somewhere.
I started with a Canon 60D and a 24-105 f/4L gifted to me by my stepdad, along with some lessons. My stepdad shot for NatGeo and I was lucky enough to get a large handful of his time in the very beginning of my career, providing me invaluable technical knowledge.

The best part about where you’re at now, is that the internet is a vast place full of information that will give you as much information as you could possibly need regarding learning the technical aspects of your gear. Consider investing in some online workshop classes (they can range from free to hundreds of dollars, but the community aspect and the ability to access the information for life is a huge selling point!)

If you want to become a photographer, don’t start by charging people hundreds of dollars when you don’t yet know what you’re doing. Start by doing a few free shoots. Take the pressure off of everyone. Don’t be afraid to discount your sessions in the beginning. If someone wants to book you but can only pay you half, consider it. Nobody ever told me this in the beginning (as a matter of fact, everyone told me to stick firm on my pricing and “the right clients will come to me” which is great later on in business, but not in the beginning), and I was turning away potential clients. Ultimately, when I was just starting out, I would’ve rather made a few bucks and gotten another shoot under my belt, than just sitting at home, not doing anything and waiting for “that perfect client” to inquire.

How you decide to run your business is completely up to you. Go at your own pace. But don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to continue learning. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

Your perfect client does exist, but you need to put in work to get them when the time does come.

We will be offering one-on-one mentoring 2017 and on. This can be done in person or via Skype, and will cover a variety of price points for any budget. Check back in January for more information!